"Surely she might be made his ward."
"Young man," said Sir Kasimir, bending over him, and speaking in an
undertone, "he may well have won your heart. As friend, when one is
at his side, none can be so winning, or so sincere as he; but with
all his brilliant gifts, he says truly of himself that he is a mere
reckless huntsman. To-day, while I am with him, he would give me
half Austria, or fight single-handed in my cause or Thekla's. Next
month, when I am out of sight, comes Trautbach, just when his head is
full of keeping the French out of Italy, or reforming the Church, or
beating the Turk, or parcelling the empire into circles, or, maybe,
of a new touch-hole for a cannon--nay, of a flower-garden, or of
walking into a lion's den. He just says, 'Yea, well,' to be rid of
the importunity, and all is over with my poor little maiden. Hare-
brained and bewildered with schemes has he been as Romish King--how
will it be with him as Kaisar? It is but of his wonted madness that
he is here at all, when his Austrian states must be all astray for
want of him.
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